Magazines in the Age of Specialization Chapter 9

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The Story of Cosmopolitan “The story of how a ’60s babe named Helen Gurley Brown (you’ve probably heard of her) transformed an antiquated general-interest mag called Cosmopolitan into the must-read for young, sexy single chicks is pretty damn amazing.” -Cosmopolitan magazine

The First Magazines  The Review First political magazine Appeared in London in 1704 Edited by Daniel Defoe Printed sporadically until 1713  Other magazines from this time Tatler Spectator Gentleman’s Magazine

Magazines in Colonial America  Magazines developed slowly. Served politicians, the educated, and the merchant classes Documented early American life  First colonial magazines (1741) American Magazine General Magazine and Historical Chronicle  About 100 magazines by 1776

U.S. Magazines in the Nineteenth Century  Growth of the magazine industry was slow after the revolution. High delivery costs Still, most communities had their own weekly magazine by  Specialized magazines emerged. Religious, literary, and professional  First general-interest magazine Saturday Evening Post

National, Women’s, and Illustrated Magazines  Growth of the magazine market Improved literacy, public education Better printing, postal technology  Sarah Josepha Hale First magazine targeting females Ladies’ Magazine  Merged with Godey’s Lady’s Book  Helped to educate lower- and middle- class women denied higher education

The Development of Modern American Magazines  Postal Act of 1879 Lowered postage rates Increased magazine circulation  Advertising revenues soared.  Advertisers Used magazines to capture attention and build a national marketplace  Ladies’ Home Journal First with a circulation of one million

Social Reform and the Muckrakers  Rise in circulation coincided with rapid social changes. Magazines allowed journalists to write in depth about issues.  Muckrackers Investigative journalists Raised awareness, leading to the Pure Food and Drug Act, the Meat Inspection Act, and antitrust laws

The Rise of General-Interest Magazines  General-interest magazines Prominent after WWI through the 1950s Combined investigative journalism with broad national topics Photojournalism  Gave magazines a visual advantage over radio

The Rise of General-Interest Magazines (cont.)  Prominent general-interest magazines Saturday Evening Post Reader’s Digest Time Life  Pass-along readership Total number of people who came into contact with a single copy

The Fall of General-Interest Magazines  Began in the late 1950s Changing consumer tastes, rising postal costs, falling ad revenues, and television  TV Guide Highlighted interest in specialized magazines Growing power of checkout lines Growing power of television

The Fall of General-Interest Magazines (cont.)  Saturday Evening Post, Life, and Look fold Sold issues at a loss to maintain circulation figures Ad dollars split with television Increased postal rates  General magazines that survived tended to be women’s magazines.

Table 9.1: Top 10 Magazines

The Fall of General-Interest Magazines (cont.)  People Launched in 1974 First successful magazine of its kind in decades Some charge that People is too specialized to be mass market, with its focus on celebrities, music, and pop culture.

Convergence: Magazines Confront the Digital Age  Magazines move online. Magazine companion Web sites ideal for increasing reach of consumer magazines Feature original content  Magazines embrace digital content. Webzines made the Internet a legitimate site for breaking news and discussing culture and politics.

The Domination of Specialization  Magazines grouped by two important characteristics Advertiser type  Consumer  Business or trade  Farm Target demographics  Gender, age, or ethnic group  Audience interest area (sports, literature, tabloids)

The Domination of Specialization (cont.)  Magazines are also broken down by target audience. Men and women Sports, entertainment, and leisure Age-group specific Elite magazines aimed at cultural minorities Minorities Supermarket tabloids

Magazine Departments and Duties  Editorial Publisher, editor-in-chief, managing editors, and subeditors Subeditors oversee photography, illustrations, reporting and writing, copyediting, layout, and print and multimedia design  Production and technology Maintains computer and printing hardware

Magazine Departments and Duties (cont.)  Advertising and sales Secures clients, arranges promotions, and places ads Rate cards indicate ad sizes/prices  Circulation and distribution Monitors single-copy and subscription sales Subscriptions may be paid, evergreen, controlled, or digital

Major Magazine Chains  Time, Inc. Largest magazine chain in United States  Advance Publications (Condé Nast) Force in upscale magazines  Rodale Publishes health and wellness titles  Meredith Corporation Specializes in women’s, home- related magazines

Major Magazine Chains (cont.)  Hearst Corporation Publishes Cosmopolitan, Elle, O  Many American magazines have carved out global market niches.  Many major publishers operate custom publishing divisions. Produce magalogs

Figure 9.1: Revenue Growth of Top Magazine Companies,

Alternative Voices  Alternative magazines Have historically defined themselves through politics  What constitutes an alternative magazine has broadened over time. “Zines” are self-published magazines. Some have achieved mainstream success.  National Review and Mother Jones

Magazines in a Democratic Society  Magazines have played a central role in transforming the United States from a producer society to a consumer society. Diminished national voice today  Contemporary magazines help us think about ourselves as participants in a democracy.

Magazines in a Democratic Society (cont.)  We are often viewed as consumers first and citizens second. Magazines are growing increasingly dependent on advertising. Readers are just viewers and purchasers of material goods.  Good magazines maintain our connection to words in an increasingly digital culture.